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Dale Hanson - Why MACV-SOG Had an 85% Casualty Rate and 1-in-4000 Odds | SRS #260

2025-12-08 People & Blogs
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Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan Show
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MACV-SOG Operator Dale Hanson: Resilience, Critical Gear Innovation, and Morality in Combat

Discover the foundational principles—spiritual, intellectual, and physical—that enabled a Green Beret to survive three tours in MACV-SOG, and learn how his personal initiative engineered a critical battlefield equipment improvement adopted by the military.

Short Summary

  • Hanson credits his character to early foundations, including becoming a Christian at age five and adopting the principle of holistic growth (physical, intellectual, social, spiritual).
  • He entered the Vietnam War voluntarily and achieved the highest levels of Special Forces selection, knowing the odds of surviving three tours were extremely low (1 in 4,000 per year).
  • His team specialized in high-stakes reconnaissance and Prisoner of War (POW) recovery, executing missions deep behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia.
  • Hanson pioneered the adoption of the 30-round magazine after witnessing the disadvantage 20-round magazines created during firefights against AK-47 equipped forces.

This interview profiles Dale Hanson, a highly decorated MACV-SOG operator, author, and current pastor. He details the intense operational environment of combat reconnaissance, including harrowing close calls and landmark intelligence gathering missions that effectively ended major enemy sieges. Furthermore, Hanson discusses his challenging reintegration into civilian life, his subsequent career as a sculptor and police officer, and his philosophical justifications for taking human life in conflict.

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Description

Dale Hanson is a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran and Green Beret who served three years as a commando in the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), conducting extremely dangerous reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Saco, Maine, with family ties to Minnesota's harsh winters, Hanson was influenced by his family's military legacy—his father, born in 1894, served and died when Dale was eight. Given the name "Kam Baw Ya Chin," meaning 'eternal life, never die,' by his Chinese mercenary counterparts, he led recon teams facing high casualty rates and earned numerous decorations. Hanson is also an accomplished sculptor, MENSA member, black belt martial artist, author, pilot of fixed-wing and glider aircraft (including aerobatics), and Special Forces underwater diver. He shares his experiences through his memoir Born Twice: Memoir of a Special Forces SOG Warrior (2016) and SOG Missions to the Well, highlighting the challenges, heroism, and lack of recognition for SOG soldiers. Hanson advocates for honoring veterans' sacrifices, preserving military history, and using personal stories to educate on the realities of covert warfare. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Download Free Content: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lF-8_5jwRc5eAhzDkqqCOp-6yvd05vAw?usp=sharing Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Dale Hanson Links: Studio Website - http://www.dale-hanson-studio.com Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dale-Hanson/author/B001KD7KE0 SOG Site - https://sogsite.com/product/born-twice-memoir-of-a-special-forces-sog-warrior Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Receive 30% off your first subscription order. Go to https://armra.com/SRS or enter SRS to get 30% off your first subscription order. Right now, you can try Aura free for 14 days when you visit http://aura.com/SRS Our listeners get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/SRS. Head to http://DRINKAG1.com/SRS you’ll get the welcome kit, a Morning Person hat, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and a AG1 Flavor Sampler for free. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 05:08 Early Life Experiences and Hunting Accident 27:40 Military Enlistment and Special Forces 34:28 Vietnam Missions and Training 50:48 Novi’s Heroics and Jeep Attack 54:28 Serving with WWII Veterans and First Missions 57:26 Recon Missions and Close Calls 01:11:23 Holiday Break and Reflections 01:13:48 Australian and Cambodia Missions 01:41:15 Combat Close Calls and Harrowing Escape 01:52:38 Reflections on Loss and Lessons 02:01:12 30-Round Magazines and R&R in Bangkok 02:07:13 Post-Hospital Intel Work and Command 02:19:33 Vietnamization and Hatchet Force 02:34:53 Returning Home from Vietnam 02:36:31 Life After SOG and Career Path 03:09:39 Becoming a Pastor and Faith Reflections 03:13:35 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

Top Comments (10)

@Sidelinefighter-expert 2025-12-08

What is so admirable about these interviews is that Dale, has nothing to personally gain and or try prosper from doing this. He's not selling anything or trying to grow his online presence, he is here out of goodwill, care and respect. Love it

533 26 replies
@SnapHook 2025-12-08

These SOG boys are fucking weapons

504 27 replies
@Pro-TechAerialService 2025-12-08

When I started in law enforcement in 1983, I was lucky enough to work with several Vietnam War combat veterans. My K9 mentor was a Ranger and LRRP, his ability to appear calm under duress was almost mystifying to me. He and another Nam Vet became hunting buddies of mine and let me sometimes into their inner circle of stories........Both have passed on now, but their memories are priceless. May their souls find the peace they deserve.

452 20 replies
@user-Machinehead 2025-12-09

This is the only show that i can watch for hours and it's still not enough.

214 2 replies
@supersensible101 2025-12-08

My uncle survived. Three Purple Hearts. Wounded three times. MacV-SOG ❤

188 11 replies
@Dr.kafir123 2025-12-08

How dare YouTube hide this from me for 10 mins

184 10 replies
@Last_Chance. 2025-12-09

This guy is the man that inspired me to join. I’m retired 18D spent 22 years in the army. I’m proud to call him my friend and I have the utmost respect for him and the men like him that paved the way for the rest of us.

173 3 replies
@BrianHigginbotham-do4hm 2025-12-09

I wish my dad would have lived long enough to see vets from his era talking about the sh*t they went through. I know that it would have helped him come to grips with his own issues. I love and miss you pops.

107 5 replies
@LucasGoddard-n8g 2025-12-10

Dale came and talked to my class on Veterans Day back when I was about ten. He was one of the reasons I joined.

66 2 replies
@KenSonnierjr 2025-12-11

The great quote comes to mind about Dale and he is peaceful. "You can’t truly call yourself ‘peaceful’ unless you are capable of great violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful, you’re harmless,"

26 1 replies

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